DESCRIPTION: The aim of our 2-year pilot research project is to increase knowledge on the experiences of family caregivers of dementia patients who live in rural communities. Existing research on dementia caregiving has primarily focused on urban white caregivers and little is known about the experiences and service needs of white and African American family caregivers who live in rural areas. Using a theoretical caregiving stress and burden model, the pilot study will determine the feasibility of our proposed methodology for identifying and recruiting white and African American rural family caregivers of dementia patients, test the utility and applicability of a series of measurement instruments with these populations of caregivers, and gather beginning information and develop hypotheses about the caregiving experiences and service needs of our target populations. Using a cross sectional survey design, the study will use a non-probability purposive sample of 64 African American and 64 white family caregivers of rural dwelling older persons with dementia. To be eligible for inclusion in the study, family caregivers and their dementia care recipients must either live together in a rural community-based, non-institutional setting, or live within commuting distance from one another. The dementia care recipient must be at least 60 years of age and screened to have some level of dementia. All respondents will be self-described primary family caregivers who provide at least 10 hours a week of face-to-face assistance to meet the physical and/or emotional care needs of the care recipients. All respondents must be cognitively intact, have access to a telephone, and be conversant in English. Study participants will be recruited from rural areas throughout the state of Alabama through one of the following methods: referred by staff employed in specialized dementia-related programs; referred by private practitioners in the general social, mental health, and health arenas or by employees of community health care and social service agencies; self-referred as a result of publicity via the mass media, traditional outreach methods, and though community sources, such as clergy, police, merchants, and pharmacists. A variety of statistical methods will be used to provide answers to the aims of the study.